New Hampshire #Savelwcf Our Land, Our Water, Our Heritage
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New Hampshire #SaveLWCF Our Land, Our Water, Our Heritage America's most important conservation and recreation program will expire in less than a year unless Congress acts. For 52 years, the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) has protected national parks and open spaces in every corner of the United States. But in less than 52 weeks, it could be gone forever and along with it, future protection of the places we love. LWCF has invested more than $163 million to protect New Hampshire’s forests, wildlife refuges, trails, and to increase recreation access. From cross country ski trails and boat launches to historic sites and community parks, LWCF has protected places like White Mountain National Forest, the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site, Connecticut Lakes, Moose Brook State Park, and Pisgah State Park. New Hampshire’s $8.7 billion outdoor recreation industry is an economic powerhouse – supporting 79,000 jobs which generates $2.6 billion in wages and salaries and produces $528 million annually in state and local tax revenue. White Mountain National Forest 2018 marks the centennial year of the White Mountain National Forest (WMNF), which spans across eastern New Hampshire and western Maine and is a major recreation destination in the Northeast. LWCF has been incredibly important to the protection of the forest, with $34 million invested to date. After a period of rapid land sales and development within the forest in the 1980s and 1990s forced the abandonment or relocation of at least 20 trails, The Trust for Public Land, Appalachian Mountain Club, and WMNF found that 22% of all trails in the WMNF originated on or crossed private land. Since then LWCF has invested nearly $9M to acquire nearly 13,800 acres, much of White Mountain National Forest, Credit: Monkman/TPL it specifically directed toward this priority—protecting access to the Piper Trail, Castle Trail, Randolph Path, Sylvan Way, Davis Path and countless others, climbing spots like Cathedral Ledge and Owl’s Head Cliff, critical viewsheds like the one from Mt. Washington Lodge, and places under massive development pressure like Mirror Lake (parts of which were threatened with high-density development of time-share condominiums and single-family residences). “We could have a 3-day seminar on what our forests do for us here in New Hampshire—clean water, clean air, recreation, timber products. But almost 75% of them are privately owned, so how do we keep our forests as forests? LWCF and the Forest Legacy Program provide a critical solution.” - Matt Leahy, Public Policy Manager, Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests Crotched Mountain Forest Legacy Project In New Hampshire, forests products and outdoor recreation are two fundamental parts of the economy, making public lands the essential ingredient to achieve both. Managed by the Crotched Mountain Rehabilitation Center (CMRC), the Crotched Mountain Forest Legacy Project is a combination of these two – a working forest that also provides wildlife habitat, protection of water supplies, rehabilitative therapy, hunting and angling access, and public recreation. CMRC has been the steward of this area for years and utilizes the resources for both forest products such as sawlogs, biomass materials, and maple syrup and also as a rehabilitative place for those with disabilities. It is the nation’s most significant center for universally accessible outdoor recreation. Over $2 Crotched Mountain, Credit: Crotched Mountain Rehabilitation million of LWCF funding has been invested in Crotched Mountain, Center/The Trust for Public Land protecting this special place for future generations. #SaveLWCF to save the places we love in New Hampshire! www.lwcfcoalition.org/lwcf52weeks/ .